The Bizarre Ingredient People Swear Gives Watermelon 10X The Flavor

Don't knock it till you try it: Some bizarre ingredient pairings are surprisingly delicious. Peanut butter and bacon, anyone? Pineapple on pizza? Taste is subjective, and there's a reason why "swalty" and "swicy" flavor combinations have been enjoying a major moment lately. But if you've ever accidentally dropped mustard onto a slice of fresh watermelon while assembling your plate at a backyard barbecue, you aren't alone. In fact, some people swear by the combination. After all, watermelon and crumbled feta is a thing. The saltiness of the cheese makes for a complementary and refreshing salad. Sprinkling a pinch of salt or chili-lime Tajín seasoning over fresh watermelon can similarly enhance its sweetness and dynamic taste appeal. Mustard, however, might feel more like a plating mishap than a "food hack." 

The odd, tangy combo has emerged as a controversial TikTok trend, and reactions are mixed, to say the least. Judging by the nearly 50 million views on TikToks bearing the "#watermelonmustard" hashtag, intrepid foodies are daring to ask what happens when tart-vinegary mustard meets sweet, juicy watermelon. Even the singer Lizzo posted a video of herself trying the combo. The trend seems to stem from a viral TikTok posted by Young Yuh, which entreats, "Watermelon and yellow mustard. Trust me on this. It is so good." The video's top comment (with 22.7K likes) reads, "Yes officer, this is him." Others joke, "Ok but who hurt you," and, "That boy bad news." Elsewhere online, however, the discourse surrounding this trend is more polarizing. Some folks seem to genuinely dig it.

In one Reddit thread that asks, "Anybody else put mustard on watermelon?" the comments range from "One word reaction 'eeww'" to "[It's] so good." Another post in r/StupidFood implores, "Why Tiktok, why?!?!? Mustard watermelon!!!" But, according to some fans of the pairing, moderation is key to its success. "It's actually pretty good but only with a little bit of mustard," writes one commenter. Others chime in, "I tried this once, imo it's not bad nor is it good." So, curious foodies may not necessarily need to prepare for the worst before taking a bite.

Ultimately, it's worth noting that the whole thing might be a joke. The colorful visual contrast of magenta watermelon triangles squiggled with bright yellow mustard yields the sort of eye-catching image that can boost engagement on social media. In execution, yellow mustard comprises some combination of distilled vinegar, mustard seed, salt, turmeric, paprika, and garlic powder. With a little imagination, this profile could potentially work alongside watermelon — especially in tandem with other, more traditional savory accouterments. For a more accessible approach, foodies might consider drizzling a dab of mustard onto grilled, salted watermelon instead of the fresh fruit. Grilling watermelon gives the fruit a smoky, charred, caramelized dimensionality that might pair better with the tangy condiment. Or, to capture the watermelon-mustard flavor combo less directly, try using these pickled watermelon rinds as a topping on your next burger.